Bear McCreary– God of War: Playstation Soundtrack– Sony Classical

FourScore

McCreary, who’s contributed music to such dramatic, different shows as the reboot of Battlestar Galactica, shows off his abilities to score quirky, fantasy situations once again on this PS-exclusive soundtrack. The seasoned composer actually puts some of his best work into this videogame-accompanying music, which embeds itself so firmly into the game itself they’re pretty much indivisible. Two to listen for: the uncertainty of “The Signal” and the sweeping tones of “The Alliance.” ***

Various Artists – Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: The Soundtrack– CapitolThe first Mamma Miamovie — a 2008 rom-com set to the music of the Swedish band ABBA — was a huge box office hit, so it was inevitable that the old gang would get together and make another. Though this second effort doesn’t have quite the vivacity of the first movie, it’s still decently fun, especially with the contributions like James’ “Waterloo” and Cher’s duet with Andy Garcia on “Fernando.” Oh, and Meryl Streep sings, too. ** ½

Mick Gordon – DOOM Original Game Soundtrack – Laced RecordsMick Gordon has long been a musical contributor to Bethesda games, and he brings in a dark, murky, industrial feel to this soundtrack for DOOM, proving the perfect match for the game’s heart-pounding suspense and demon-chasing action. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in England, the set includes over 30 tracks in all — most given atmospheric heft with a wealth of synths, and several with the “DOOM” instrument, which blends sine wave into sound, perfect for mixing with wailing guitar lines. ***

Steve Jablonsky– Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Skyscraper– Milan RecordsThere’s nothing that particularly stands out about this soundtrack from Jablonsky; it’s simply another solid effort from the composer, although you have to admit he didn’t have a whole lot to work with in this overblown summer extravaganza. That said, he fits his work to the movie nicely, from opening track “Hostage Pt. 1,” a thick, electronic piece that provides tension to the accompanying scene, to closer “Out on a Ledge,” which… well, basically does the same thing. Job well done, and that’s about it. **